VICTOR KELLEHER was born in London and came to Australia in 1976 via Africa and New Zealand. After an academic career he now writes both children's and adults' novels full-time. His novels for Random House Australia include JOHNNY WOMBAT, TO THE DARK TOWER, DEL-DEL and BEYOND THE DUSK. Victor has been shortlisted for many awards including the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award and the Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award. He remains one of Australia's most celebrated authors. STEPHEN MICHAEL KING left school to pursue a career in nothing much. Trying to emulate Vincent Van Gogh, he twice dropped out of art school, eventually finding a job that suited him as a children s library assistant. After three years hanging out in the mind of a child, he moved into the serious world of the Walt Disney Sydney studios, before having his first book published - a how to draw cartoon animals book. His first picture book, THE MAN WHO LOVED BOXES, was the winner of the Australian Family Therapists Award and was selected for Pick of the List (US). He has been shortlisted several times for the Children s Book Council Book of the Year Awards and won both the 2002 YABBA and KOALA